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PS 3515 ^ • 

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Copy 1 

Christmas Greetings 



19 17 



COPYRIGHTED 1917 

A. S. HANCOCK 



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AFTER THE SCOURGING 
WHAT? 

'Tis Christmas. Hands clasp hands again 
And fires of friendship burn anew; 
[Jut now a larger love stands forth 
Than yours lor me or mine for you. 

The Christ — this our trembling faith — 
i vvciling in a thousand millinn 

Again with angry scourg' 
i'rom his temple of the world 

The des'. crater drives. 

Xot this alone liis task- iMr -mrs. 

Vexed and subtle. 
With mighi}/ difficulties i;\uiL,nL, 

Stands the larger question, — 

After the scourging, what? 

i\ en -ember we the lame and blind 
Who came that day the Christ to find 
(That day when despots had been curbed) 
And found a heart all undisturbed, 
iiis wrath in love was made divine. 

li the love that was his be ours, 
That larger love that far transcends all bar 
Of nation, race, or continent, 
Not again 
Shall bend 
Beneath the yoke of war 
1 n e u n r c w arded. unrequited, poor; 
Xot again shall bleed and break 
The hearts of those left desolate 
To sate 

Some monarch's lust for power, 
Or hedge about the touchy pride 
Of chosen tvrants of an hour. 



From Ceylon's suns to Russian snow, 




From Volga's plains to Golden Gate, 
That larger love shall come to know 
The truth of peace; the lies of hate. 
Shall stretch its eager brother hands 
Across the seas to brother lands; 
The world old truth shall learn at last — 
The common good of toiling class, 
The common weal of man at peace, 
The common woe of war's disease. 

Ah, yet shall rise, 
In might and justice shall arise 
The conquering, sweeping, power of right! 
No more again 
Shall God's true men, 
Thrice ten million strong, 
Like stolid brutes Or driven slaves 
By titled heads or scheming knaves 
Be blindly led in throng on throng 
To v/elter in their 1)rother's blood. 
The patient, unvoiced, multitude, 
Grim in its iron fortitude. 
Its right to rule shall come to know — 
Legitimate right and reasonable due — 
The right of millions o'er the few; 
Shall feel its sinews stronger grow. 
Shall knit its power across the seas, 
Shall recognize its common foe — 
The war-mad sect of pharasees. 

Then, determined, slow. 

Resistless as the flow 
Below 

The ocean's swirl, 

Shall force its will — 

The will of the world — 
LTpon the few who stand between 
And chant in unison its theme, — 
"This hell of war was not in vain." 



Leagues of rulers, governments, 

MAY give us peace that's permanent; 

To make assurance doubly sure, 
To give us peace that shall endure, 
A league of peoples need we yet. 
Supreme o'er king or cabinet. 
This anthem sung in every tongue 
From war-worn hearts in anguish wrung 
Will bring the fruits of liberty; 
A peace through world democracy! 

The people bear the . burden of >vn'-, 

In every land, in every clime 
The people bear the burden of war. 

In cause unjust or cause sublime. 
Every war is a peoples war; 

The people shall say when they want it. 

The people bear the burden of war, 

The dread of want, the want itself; 

They know the miseries of the poor 

AVhcn little ones starve in war's behalf. 

The people bear the burden of war; 

The people shall say when they want it. 

The people bear the burden of war, 

The load of grief, the anguished tear; 

For those on battle fields afar, 

The dumb, dull bitterness of fear. 

Every war is a people's war; 

The ]M-nu]c -bn11 when they want it. 

The people bear the burden of war. 

Down in the trench or over the top, 
The son's of us all are fighting there, 

'Tis theirs to fight till they drop. 
Every war is a people's war; 

The people shall say when they want it. 



Tlu i-LUi.i. .)ear the burden of war, 
C3n hill or plain or ocean swell; 

By toil of the brain or sweat of the brow 
The billions of dollars we blow to hell 

Indirect from the people are. 

The people shall say when thc)^ want it. 

Then unite, ye people, near and far, — 

American, German, English and Jew; 

With one single purpose, — extinction of war; 
With one only slogan to '^^-^ through, — 

"Every war is a people's war 

The people shall s?y when ihry want it." 

When rulers of yours or rulers of mine 

Would lead us to murder our brother man, 
The people shall judge if the cause be just. 

The vote of the people in every land. 
Every war is a people's war; 

The people shall say when they want it. 

Be the ruler a king or emperor, 

The government yours or government mine, 
One choice shall be ours, — the question of war 

The right of the people divine. 
NO government then can start a war 

Without the consent of the people. 

'Tis Christmas. Hands clasp hands again; 
And fires of friendship burn ane^^^ 
But now a larger love stands forth 
Than yours for me or mine for you. 

The love of Christ must conquer yet! 
'Tis ours, who love, that goal to win, — 
To make the angels' song a fact, 

"V^-'.rr 'M' '■nri''v, irorxl will tow^rr!-; mm." 



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